State Member for Shepparton Kim O’Keeffe says the former sites of Mooroopna Secondary College, McGuire College and Wanganui Park Secondary College in Greater Shepparton have been left unused, boarded up and are falling into disrepair since the amalgamation to create Greater Shepparton Secondary College more than a year ago.
Ms O’Keeffe said she had been in regular contact with concerned community members who wanted their voices heard regarding the future of these abandoned sites.
“These members of the Mooroopna community that I have recently met with, are calling for the former Mooroopna secondary school site to be developed in consultation with the broader Mooroopna community,” she said.
“They do not want to be forced into having something that they do not want nor desire.
“They also do not want to see the school continue to sit abandoned just like the former Mooroopna hospital site.”
Although funding has been allocated to relocate Verney Rd School to a portion of the former Wanganui Park site, Ms O’Keeffe said the allocated funds were insufficient.
She said that raises questions about the future of the Verney Rd School site once it is relocated, as it could potentially become another empty and neglected space.
Ms O’Keeffe said all of the former school sites were situated in residential areas and had become eyesores, raising concerns about ongoing security and maintenance costs incurred by taxpayers as the sites remain boarded up.
“Parent groups and the broader community have continually voiced their frustration with the current lack of choice in public secondary options, and the ‘one size fits all’ model does not work for everyone,” she said.
Ms O’Keeffe said the Mooroopna community deserved to be actively included and consulted in decisions regarding the future of the Mooroopna Secondary College site and other former school sites in the area.
The Department of Education said consultation was a priority when considering future uses for the sites.
“The Department of Education always consults widely and gives careful consideration to the use of surplus sites,” a departmental spokesperson said.
“The department has determined future education use for the former McGuire and Wanganui campuses of Greater Shepparton Secondary College.
“Future usage of the former Mooroopna site remains under consideration.
“All three campuses are maintained by the Victorian Schools Building Authority.’’
The department said the grounds and buildings on three of the sites were being used by multiple organisations.
It said McGuire campus is the subject of an expansion plan for the Goulburn Murray Trade Skills Centre operated by GOTAFE with buildings to be used as an education extension facility.
The buildings on the McGuire campus continue to be used as an education extension facility by Greater Shepparton Secondary College, with the sporting ovals and gymnasium to be leased by the Greater Shepparton City Council for community use.
It also said the Wanganui campus will be the site of the rebuilt and expanded Verney Rd School, with construction to start later this year.
Council will continue to lease the Wanganui ovals and gymnasium/stadium (Visy Centre) for community use and GV Woodworkers and Shepparton Scouts will continue to have access to the facilities on this site.
The WestSide Performing Arts Centre and the Coulson Centre (gymnasium) on the former Mooroopna campus are leased by the Greater Shepparton City Council for community use.